This invention relates generally to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). More particularly, the present invention relates to a device and method for MRI receiver coil miniaturization and tuning.
In vivo imaging of arterial plaques poses a significant challenge for resolution and signal-to-noise. Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses receiver coils placed on the surface of or surrounding the body to attain resolutions on the order of 1-5 mm. Important anatomical information for arterial plaques, for instance, can be obtained if the resolution can be extended to 100-500 xcexcm. Since the voxel volumes will be 100 times smaller, the coil must provide a significant boost in sensitivity. This can be achieved using intravascular receiver coils-micro-coils that are inserted by catheters to the arterial plaque.
Several design issues are unique to intravascular coil design. First, the coil, matching network and cable must be small enough and flexible enough to pass through larger vessels to the target region without undue trauma to the vessel. The probe cannot completely block blood flow nor dislodge the plaque. Blood flow will subject the probe to motion or vibration a problem that is reduced by real-time MRI. Secondly, the relative orientation of the target artery with respect to the main magnetic field limits the coil configuration that can generate a B1 field local to the plaque. This orientation can be unpredictable for tortuous vessels such as the coronaries or aortic artery arch, but quite simple for vessels such as the carotids, iliofemoral and popliteal which are oriented mainly along the head to foot axes. Finally, the region of interest lies outside the coil, inspiring the term, inside-out MRI.
The signal and noise tradeoffs and design principles for MRI receiver coils are well understood. To detect an MRI signal, a coil must be capable of generating an RF magnetic field component B1 orthogonal to the static field component B0. According to reciprocity, the B1 spatial behavior determines the sensitivity profile of the coil. The peak B1 scales inversely with coil radius but also diminishes outside the coil over a similar size scale.
The prior art describes several catheter coils such as, for instance, opposed solenoids, miniaturized versions of saddle and surface (loops) coils, multiple coils, shortened twin lead designs and dipole antenna designs. In conventional systems, tissue conductivity inductively couples with the receiver coil to generate a resistance, hence noise, that scales approximately with the field of view volume seen by the coil. In the case of a surface coil, which is a simple tuned copper loop 3 to 5 inches in diameter, the depth of sensitivity is limited approximately to the coil diameter. Such a coil could image an artery 2.5 inches deep, but couples so much tissue noise that the resolution is inadequate for plaque imaging.
For very small coils, the resistance becomes vanishingly small, and the wire resistance of the coil becomes the dominant noise source. The resistance varies inversely with the coil quality factor Q which tends to be fixed by size and geometry. One can increase the number of turns N to maintain coil size without adverse changes in Q or sensitivity. Furthermore, Q is optimized when the turn spacing is about equal to wire radius. Unfortunately, small coils with many turns or in close proximity to tissue have an associated quasi-static electric field that fringes into the tissue. The fringe field creates an extra resistance due to dielectric loss that can significantly degrade signal-to-noise-ratio. In standard MRI coils, the electric fields are minimized by splitting the coil into segments with extra series capacitors but this becomes impractical in small coils.
Accordingly, there is a need to overcome current problems for constructing catheter MRI coils that can be used in minimally invasive procedures and intravascular imaging.
The present invention provides a device and method for miniature and tunable MRI receiver coil for catheters that can be used in minimally invasive procedures and intravascular imaging. An MRI receiver coil for catheter procedures is provided having an impedance matching element. The impedance matching element includes at least one miniature transmission line cable which is interconnected to construct the impedance matching element. In the present invention transmission line cables could also be miniature coaxial cables. In a particular embodiment, the miniature transmission line cables are constructed to make an inductance matching element defining an inductance L. In another particular embodiment, the miniature transmission line cable is a capacitance matching element defining a capacitance C. Furthermore, the present invention includes adjusting the length of at least one miniature transmission line cable to adjust capacitance C of the capacitance matching element. In addition, the present invention includes adjusting the length of at least one miniature transmission line cable to adjust inductance L of the inductance matching element. The present invention includes various different geometries of connecting the miniature transmission line cables or miniature coaxial cables. For instance, the miniature transmission line cables could be connected in series or in parallel. In addition, the miniature transmission line cables could be connected at one end or at both ends. The miniature transmission line cables could also be construed as an open circuit or a closed circuit. Furthermore, the various connections could be surrounded by a shielded element. The impedance matching element comprises conductive thin film layers to form electrically shielded structures or Faraday shields. These electrically shielded structures are, for instance, but not limited to, constructed of silver paint and coaxial shields. The impedance matching element also incorporates balanced transmission lines to prevent common mode current. Furthermore, the present invention includes a fine-tuning element that includes at least one miniature transmission line and which is placed in series with the impedance matching element and connected at both ends. The fine-tuning element could have different electrical properties. In addition, the fine-tuning element could be placed remotely from the area of interest. The present invention also provides the method of constructing an MRI receiver coil for catheter procedures that has an impedance matching element. The method steps for constructing such a MRI receiver coil include the trimming of at least one miniature transmission line cable and subsequently connecting the trimmed miniature transmission line cables to construct the impedance matching element.
In view of that which is stated above, it is the objective of the present invention to provide miniature and tunable MRI receiver coils for catheters in minimally invasive procedures and intravascular imaging.
It is another objective of the present invention to overcome standard component size limits for constructing catheter MRI coils.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to augment or replace lumped capacitors and inductors with transmission line cables or micro-coaxial cables that can be trimmed to arbitrary length yielding adjustable component values.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide short circuit or open circuit transmission lines stubs.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide flexible MRI receiver coils that have small cross-section diameter so that they can be used in minimally invasive MRI procedures.
It is another objective of the present invention to use conductive thin film layers to form electrically shielded structures for intravascular/catheter MRI coils.
It is another objective of the present invention to shield the patient and probe from each other and to form a structure that prevents dangerous common mode current and reduces noise.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide series connected lines that allow for coil tuning to be approximately tuned with fine tuning placed remotely in larger cross-sectional areas.
Most prior art designs use fixed capacitors and must include fine-tuning adjustments about 1.5 meter away from the probe. Capacitors do not come in custom sizes for tuning. The advantage of the present invention over the prior art is that the system and method enables one to include transmission line stubs that allow fine-tuning locally with a higher signal-to-noise ratio. Transmission line stubs also overcome the minimum size limits of fixed components. The shielding and balance techniques further reduce noise and improve safety.